


Trial by Fire

by Untherius



Series: The Sun-Bearer Chronicles [4]
Category: Fringe, Howl Series - Diana Wynne Jones, Tangled (2010)
Genre: F/M, pyrokinesis
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-10-22
Updated: 2011-10-22
Packaged: 2017-10-24 20:40:52
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,571
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/267668
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Untherius/pseuds/Untherius
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Howl takes Rapunzel to see an acquaintance of his in a search for answers to what happened to her on Ingary.  Rapunzel then returns home, where she must learn to deal with the great and terrible power she now possesses.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Trial by Fire

Rapunzel followed Howl and Sophie down a set of stairs into a daylight basement under one of the science buildings at Boston University. A man in his late 50's stood over some instruments in the center of the room. Another man in his early 30's stood next to him, trading--well, not quite insults, but they were at least taking jabs at one another—most of them came from the younger man.

“Doctor Bishop?” said Howl.

“Mister Jenkins! So nice to see you,” said the elder. Howl walked over and shook his hand.

“My son Peter,” continued Dr. Bishop, indicating the younger man. Howl shook his hand, too.

“May I introduce my wife Sophie and our friend Rapunzel,” said Howl.

“Pleased to meet you, Doctor Bishop,” said Sophie.

“Please call me Walter.”

Both women tentatively shook hands with both men. Rapunzel was initially and uncharacteristically quiet.

“This would be the young lady,” said Walter. The smile faded as he released her hand and placed his own on her forehead. “She's a bit...warm.”

“We have some new data since last we spoke,” continued Howl. “Rapunzel, would you please tell them what you told me?”

She took a deep breath, visibly collecting herself. Then she related her account of the explosion at the Palace.

“Interesting,” said Walter.

“Terrifying, you mean,” corrected Rapunzel.

“That depends on how you look at it.”

Rapunzel scowled. The scowl faded as she noticed a cow in a stall at the edge of the room. She stared at it and it mooed.

“Now,” continued Walter, “let's see what we can discover.” He turned and walked over to another table and picked up a small box with a screen and some wires coming out of it and walked back over to Rapunzel, who was still staring at the cow. Walter followed her gaze.

“Oh, that's Gene.”

“She looks delicious,” said Rapunzel absently.

“Her milk's very good, yes. Would you like some?”

She smiled and nodded expectantly. “Actually, I mean the rest of her. But milk will do, thank-you.”

Gene mooed nervously. Just then a young, professionally-dressed African woman entered the room.

“Ah, Aspirin!” said Walter, “would you please get the young lady,” indicating Rapunzel, “some milk?”

“How about some introductions first?” muttered Peter.

“Oh, yes, sorry,” said Walter and then proceeded to introduce his assistant FBI Agent Astrid Farnsworth. Astrid then went over to milk Gene.

“Now where were we?” said Walter. “Oh, yes, the young lady.” He flipped a switch on the box and handed one of the wires to Rapunzel. “Hold this, please.” She took it and the device began to emit a sharp squeal. Walter took it back and the noise stopped. He frowned. He held it out to Rapunzel again, who again grabbed it—more reluctantly this time--and again the device squealed. Walter again took the wire back and again the squealing stopped.

“Curious.” He put it back on the table and picked up a voltmeter and held it up to Rapunzel. The read-out went haywire, but settled down again when he moved it away from her. “Hmmm.” He set that down too. “She's emitting a powerful EM field.”

“What does that mean?” asked Rapunzel nervously.

“I don't know yet,” said Walter, “Everyone generates a low-level electro-magnetic field, but yours is much stronger than anything I've ever seen. Stand right here.” He re-positioned Rapunzel at a spot in the room in front of another device. Astrid walked up with the milk, handed it to Rapunzel with one hand and shook her hand with the other. Then she frowned.

“Don't drink that yet,” she said.

Rapunzel paused with the glass halfway to her mouth. “Why not?”

Astrid put the back of her hand up to Rapunzel's forehead and frowned again. “Just a minute.” She walked across the room and came back with a standard mercury thermometer. “Do you know what this is?”

Rapunzel shook her head. Astrid explained it to her and then proceeded with her instructions. “Now be very careful you don't bite down on it.” She inserted the thermometer under Rapunzel's tongue and then gazed at her watch while she timed it. After a couple of minutes, she removed the thermometer, looked at it and frowned. “That can't be right.”

“What is it?” asked Walter as he walked over to her. Astrid held it up to him. He peered at it and also frowned. “You're right. That's much too high. Get another.” Astrid went back over to the table and came back with another thermometer and repeated the procedure with the same results. After a third time, Walter picked up an infrared gun and pointed it at Rapunzel, who was by now feeling increasingly nervous. Walter pushed a button on it and held it for a few seconds. “Remarkable!”

“What?” asked Rapunzel nervously.

“Young lady, you have a baseline core body temperature of a hundred and twelve point four!”

Howl and Sophie glanced uncertainly at each other.

“What's it supposed to be?” asked Rapunzel.

“Normal body temperature is ninety-eight point six. A few people have body temps a few degrees lower or a couple of degrees higher. Fevers of a hundred and two or higher are common, but if sustained for more than twenty-four hours can cause severe, irreversible brain damage. When was the last time you had pneumonia?”

“Um...never.”

“Influenza?”

“Nope.”

“A cold?”

“Uh-uh.”

“Are you telling me you've never been sick in your entire life?”

She shrugged sheepishly. “I guess not.”

“Interesting.”

“But Walter,” said Peter, “if she has such a high body temperature, why isn't her brain a pile of mush?”

“That's what we need to find out. But you're quite right. She should be quivering on the floor like so much gelatin.” He walked over to another device mounted on a tripod, swiveled it toward Rapunzel, and aimed it about an inch away from her skin. “This will measure the strength and extent of your EM field.”

He pushed a button. “Hmmm,” he said peering at a display panel. “The beam was deflected by two-point-three millimeters, indicating not only the EM field, but also the presence of some additional mass...a tremendous amount of it, I should say.”

Rapunzel frowned again.

“It means you weigh more than you should,” said Howl.

“Wait,” said Rapunzel. “Did the two of you just call me fat?”

Howl smacked his palm against his forehead. “Women,” he muttered. Sophie elbowed him in the ribs.

“What? Oh, no, no, no,” said Walter, “but I'll have to investigate that, too.”

Rapunzel scowled at him. “Hmph. May I drink my milk now?”

“No, not yet.”

She let out an exasperated sigh. Walter then removed the device from the tripod and replaced it with another. “This one will scan your physical matrix at several frequency levels. It will also detect anything that may be out of phase. This will take several minutes and you must remain perfectly still.” He stepped over to a computer and pressed a few keys on a keyboard. The device on the tripod whirred. When it finally stopped, Walter looked up. “Now you may drink your milk. It will take the computer a few minutes to compile the data.” Then he returned his attention to the monitor. After a few minutes, his brow furrowed. “Peter, Asteroid, take a look at this.” They both walked over and looked at the screen.

Peter shook his head slowly.

“What is that?” asked Astrid.

Walter tapped a few more buttons and the image shifted a bit. His eyes grew wide and he leaned back a little. “Good God!” He swiveled the monitor toward the others. “Come, gather round. This is a visual representation of a multi-dimensional scan.”

“I have no idea what any of that means,” said Rapunzel flatly.

“We're using technology to make the unseen seen,” said Peter.

“Oh,” said Rapunzel.

“Thank-you,” said Walter. “This is you.” He pointed to the human shape on the screen. “This is the glass of milk. You can put that down now if you wish.” Astrid reached out and took the now-empty glass, placing it on another table. “And this,” he continued, pointing to a large blob surrounding the human form, “actually, I have no idea what that is, but it's fused to you in the fourth, fifth and sixth spacial dimensions. And it's enormous.”

Rapunzel looked agitated.

“Wait a minute,” said Howl, peering at the image, “That looks like...no, it can't be!”

“You recognize this?”

“The shape has changed a little, but its overall resonance is consistent with supernoval ejecta. Calcifer called it 'sun-blood.' A piece of it changed course and dove straight toward her, but winked out.”

“Yes, you told me about that.”

“Well, I think that's it,” he pointed at the screen.

Rapunzel's eyes widened. “Wait. You mean that...stuff...it's... _inside_ me?”

“Not just inside you,” said Walter, “a _part_ of you, like your arm or your leg.”

“Can you...get it out?”

“No, no, I'm afraid that's quite impossible. It's not at all like, say, removing your appendix. No, this is now fused into your mattergetic matrix. It's a part of you now and forever. In fact, it will likely still be there well after you die and your body has...”

“Okay, I think she gets the picture,” interrupted Peter.

“But...” said Rapunzel tentatively, “what's it doing to me?”

“Doing to you?” said Walter.

“Yes, doing to me.” Her tone had taken on a slight edge of annoyance.

“I have a theory.” He picked up a scrap of paper and held it out at arm's length, grasped in a pair of metal tongs. “One final test. Set this on fire.”

“What?”

“Set it on fire.”

“That's your theory?”

“Just try. Focus on it and think about it being on fire.”

She peered at it and frowned. Suddenly, it burst into flame, and was quickly reduced to ash. She shrieked in alarm and visibly jumped.

“Remarkable!”

“What was that?” asked Howl.

“She ignited the paper with her mind,” said Walter.

“Wait, let's do that again. This time, Sophie, I'd like you to observe the Princess and I'll scan the adjacent interstitial vortices.”

They repeated the procedure with the same results. Howl and Sophie looked at each other with raised eyebrows.

They all looked at Rapunzel. Tears started to well up in her eyes. “What...what...” she stammered, looking plaintively at Howl, “what's happened to me?!”

“You've developed pyrokinesis!” exclaimed Walter.

“What's that?” asked Sophie.

“It's the ability to create and control fire with the mind,” explained Walter. “In this case, I believe that,” he indicated the image still on the monitor, “is somehow responsible.”

“Wait, you said 'control,'” said Rapunzel.

“That's right, yes.”

“You mean I can control this?”

“With time, I believe you can. Like any other skill, it will take some work and dedication.”

“What will I be able to do with it?”

“Besides set things on fire? I don't know. That will be for you to find out. But first, it is absolutely essential that you learn to prevent uncontrolled discharges.”

“Like what happened in the hot tub and the Palace.”

“Exactly.”

“How do I do that?”

“I'm not sure I'm the best person to ask about that. I believe Howell may be better qualified to assist you in that area.”

Rapunzel looked plaintively at Howl.

“He's right. And I believe I also speak for Sophie in offering both our services to help train you.” Rapunzel smiled and Howl turned back to Walter. “Thank-you very much for your help. You have no idea how much it means to us and to her family.”

“You're most welcome.”

More hand-shaking ensued and Howl, Sophie and Rapunzel turned to go.

“Howell, may I speak with you for a moment? It won't take long,” said Walter.

“Sophie, you and Rapunzel go on ahead. I'll catch up.”

After the ladies had left the room, Walter led Howl back to the monitor, which still showed the imaging he'd done of Rapunzel.

“I noticed something else odd. You see this,” he pointed to a bright spot centered on Rapunzel's brain-stem. “It's centered here, but is spread throughout her nervous system. It's in all of her bone marrow, as well.”

“I take it it's not the same thing as the sun-blood.”

“No, no, this is something different.”

“Calcifer said something about sun-tears. Could it be that?”

“It's hard to say. I don't know what those are and this Calcifer of yours perished in that supernova. In any case, what caught my attention is this,” he pointed to a notation on the screen. “It's an unusual temporal signature, one that interferes with the operation of certain physical forces described by the Second Law of Thermodynamics.”

Howl raised an eyebrow.

“It's my opinion that whatever this is, it's what was responsible for what you were telling me about her hair. It also explains why she's never been sick. In fact, it may be continually re-generating her.”

“Are you implying that she won't...age?

“Precisely! Howell, she may very well be immortal.”

“Like the Elves of Middle Earth.”

“It is imperative that you say nothing of this. She'll have a hard enough time dealing with the pyrokinesis anyway. No, this is something she must learn on her own. But I do highly recommend that you keep an eye on her. How you do that is entirely up to you.”

“Won't she be upset when she does and I didn't tell her?”

“I expect so, but I must insist.”

“I suppose it gives us a good excuse to at least talk to her more often. Sophie in particular will like that.” He shook Walter's hand again. “Thank-you for everything. This means more than you know. Shall I be in touch?”

“Please.” With that, Howl turned and left.

*****

Harold, Liesel and Eugene stood in the library looking over some maps and discussing various geographical concerns: long-range urban planning; hydrology; mineral resources; agriculture; trade; possible invasion routes and lines of defense. Approaching footsteps sounded down the hall and Liesel looked up.

“Someone sounds agitated.”

“How can you tell?” asked Eugene.

“It ties in with body language. It's amazing what people will tell you without even realizing it...all from body language.”

Presently, Howl, Sophie and Rapunzel entered the room. Rapunzel ran to Eugene and threw her arms around him, squeezing him quite tightly.

“Eugene!” She was fighting hard to hold back tears—not particularly successfully at that. He hugged her back.

“How was your vacation?” he asked, somehow sensing the answer wouldn't be what one would generally hope it to be.

“Terrible.” She almost choked on the word.

“What?”

“Something...happened to me,” she sniffed.

Eugene and Rapunzel's parents looked at Howl.

“Howl, what happened to my daughter?” asked Harold sternly.

Howl sighed and then spoke. “I think we'd better all sit down and make ourselves comfortable. This could take a while.”

They walked over to a corner and sat down, each couple in their own chair. Eugene put one arm about Rapunzel's shoulders and held her hand with his other. His brow furrowed and he looked down at her.  
“Rapunzel, honey, you're...you're burning up! Are you feeling okay?”

“I don't know.”

“Don't worry,” said Howl, “She's not sick...per se.”

“What do you mean, 'per se?'” asked Harold.

Howl then related the events that had unfolded since Rapunzel had arrived on Ingary.

“That's...quite the story, Howl,” said Liesel.

“It's true, Mama,” said Rapunzel, “at least, what I remember of it. I was unconscious part of the time and my memory of some of the rest is still a bit fuzzy.”

“It does strain credulity, though,” said Harold.

“I anticipated that,” said Howl, “and quite frankly, I'd be skeptical, too...and that's speaking as someone from the future. I'm still surprised you haven't had us burned at the stake already...but I digress. I brought a...visual aid.” He reached into his inner coat pocket and then paused. “I'm about to do something that potentially violates the laws of temporal causality.”

“Temporal causality?” asked Eugene. “What's that?”

Howl briefly explained before returning to his previous line of commentary. “I've decided that it's worth the risk.” He withdrew his hand, holding an iPad. “This is a piece of technology from your future. It would take a while to bring you up to speed on how it works, so I'd like to dispense with that. For our purposes, what it does is more important than how it does it. Have you ever seen something...an event, a sunrise, for example...and wished you could share it with someone exactly as you saw it?”

“Yes, all the time,” said Liesel.

“That's what this does. I'm about to show you the incident that happened in my sister's back yard as seen by a neighbor.” He activated the iPad, tapped the screen a few times and then held it so that Harold, Liesel and Eugene could see. When it had finished playing, the three of them sat there for a moment blinking.

“You're saying that if we'd been there at the time that happened, that's what we would have seen?” asked Harold.

“Exactly.”

There was more silence. The tension in the room was so thick, Sophie could have cut it with a spoon.

“Well,” said Liesel looking at Rapunzel, “when I said you'd explode...”

Rapunzel looked stricken, then gazed up at Eugene with a wordless plea in her eyes: _PLEASE DON'T LEAVE ME!!!_

“Eugene, Howl, may I speak with you for a moment?” said Liesel, “In private?”

“Of course,” said Howl. Eugene looked at Rapunzel and then stood up to follow the other two out into the hallway. Liesel shut the door behind them.

“The day Elsa...Rapunzel...was born was the happiest of our lives. When she was taken from us, her father took it very hard. In fact, it nearly destroyed him. He cried nearly every day for the first year. Although we never gave up hope, I watched it fade in his eyes with each passing year. The day she returned to us was the first time he'd genuinely smiled in eighteen years and only the second time I've ever seen him cry tears of joy. If something happens to her...again...it'll kill him. It scares him to death, at least as much as it scares her. We _cannot_ lose her again, do you understand? We simply can't.”

“We'll do everything we can,” said Howl.

“Howl,” she said sternly, “losers always whine about doing their best. Winners go home and bed the Harvest Queen. No, gentlemen, 'we'll try' is simply not good enough.”

Eugene looked uncertain.

“There's something else,” said Howl. Liesel raised an eyebrow. “I hesitate to mention it, but mention it I will because I think it's important. When...the incident...occurred, Calcifer said he could detect the presence of both the tears and blood of suns in your daughter. He didn't have time to go into detail, but he did tell me exactly how many times that's happened in...well, since forever.” Liesel nodded in an unspoken bid to continue. “Zero.”

“You mean this has _never_ happened before?”

“Essentially, no. Or at least it's been so long, it may as well be never. Then he said it scared him and that it was his opinion that your daughter may be...how'd he put that...the single most dangerous corporeal being in the known universe.”

Liesel and Eugene stood there blinking in disbelief for a moment.

“I guess failure really ISN'T an option,” said Eugene.

Howl thought for a moment. “The fact of the matter is that we're dealing with a wholly unprecedented situation. That notwithstanding, she needs training. Right now, without it, I think she's a danger to herself and others and, like you said, that's unacceptable. I'm the best qualified to handle that.”

“I'm not sure what I can do,” said Eugene.

“Just be there for her,” said Liesel.

Eugene nodded.

“Then do we have an accord, gentlemen?”

“Yes, ma'am,” they said in unison, “we have an accord.” Liesel led them back into the library.

“What kept you?” asked Sophie as they returned to their places.

“Rapunzel,” said Howl, “you now have our full and undivided attention. As of this moment, you are our number-one priority.”

“And I'm not leaving you,” said Eugene to Rapunzel. “And I won't give up on you...even if it kills me...and probably not even then.”

“You have no idea how much I needed to hear that,” she said with an ever-so-slightly teary smile.

“I'm pleased to hear that, gentlemen,” said Harold, “Eugene, I'll personally make sure your other responsibilities are covered. Howl, what do you have in mind?”

“As you may know, I taught and guided both my wife and my apprentice as they learned to use their own skills and abilities. This will be my primary role. Sophie, I'd like you to use your empathic abilities to both monitor Rapunzel's psychosomatic state and help her identify anything that needs her attention. Eugene, you'll be there for moral support and to learn how to continue guiding her after Sophie and I return home. We'll spend at least an hour each morning, each afternoon, and possibly some time in the evening if needed. After a month, I'll evaluate her progress and then we can decide if Sophie and I need to stay longer.”

“And if you don't succeed?” asked Harold.

“There's a saying from my time...'Do or do not, there is no Try,'” said Howl.

“I like that.” Harold looked from one face to the other. One by one, they each gave a curt nod. “Then make it so. I also want daily updates. They don't have to be in writing, but I do want them. When do you want to start?”

“How about right now? Unless anyone has any objections?” An exchange of glances ensued and Howl led the foursome to the center of the room and sat down on the floor in the Lotus position. Harold and Liesel sat and watched, mainly so that they'd be informed on the nature of the training.

“Let's start by joining hands. The purpose of this session, as well as each one for the remainder of the week is two-fold. First, your goal is to learn the signs of an impending discharge. Once you know how to recognize it, you can either stop it if you've learned how, or go someplace where you'll do minimal damage when it happens. For safety reasons, I think this should be our first priority. The second purpose is to become aware of what your body is telling you. This will help you deal with discharges and then later as you learn to direct your new abilities.”

“Do you really think I'll...discharge...again?”

“I don't know, but we should prepare for that. Controlling your power will be like controlling your emotions and impulses. Using and directing it will be like moving your arms and legs. Much of this you'll have to eventually learn on your own. Okay, now let's all close our eyes. It'll help reduce distractions. Now Rapunzel, take a few deep, controlled breaths. Take a mental inventory of every part of your body beginning with the top of your head and moving all the way down to your toes. Omit nothing, not even your internal organs. You don't have to try to describe it right now, just be aware of how everything feels at this moment. This will be your baseline and the standard against which you'll compare your personal state from now on.”

This continued for an hour. Then it was time for dinner and the four did another session that evening. As agreed, they met three times every day and reported to the King.

*****

Rapunzel awoke with a start. She felt really weird in a way she didn't recognize, but she had a bad feeling about it. She closed her eyes and performed the self-diagnosis. After a moment, her eyes flew open and she gasped in alarm. She vaulted out of bed, burst from her chambers and sprinted down the hall. It was a good thing she'd been doing all that cardio training. She flung open the nearest set of exterior doors and ran out into the night.

A violent storm had blown in off the Baltic Sea and the whole town was shut down tightly. She looked around, then climbed up the treacherous slope of the roof, gripping with her toes as well as her hands. She reached its peak and stopped, unsure what to do. Her attention was split between the storm raging above her head and something building insider her. It felt hot, very hot.

All at once, her hair stood up on end and there was a brilliant, white flash of light and a loud _CRACK!_ It was a singularly peculiar sensation. It tingled and tickled at the same time, although she was pretty sure being struck by lightning wasn't supposed to feel even remotely like this. At nearly the same time, she felt an intense heat rise sharply and the darkness around her was suddenly lit by the yellow light of a hot flame.

She'd seen things through fire before, but this was different. It swirled around her like a river, rising and falling like the surf, as though it were a fluid, living thing. She held up her hand in front of her and watched in amazement as the liquid fire danced off of it and flowed around her fingers. It didn't hurt at all. In fact, to her surprise, it felt surprisingly pleasant. This both comforted and alarmed her.

A sharp internal spike caught her attention and a new wave of flame shot out from her, arcing upward like a solar flare. It paused, surged outward until it extended well past the extent of the collective palace roofs, rose a little more and hung there for a few moments. As it grew, it attracted more and more lightning strikes until it seemed to be sucking all the energy out of the storm. Then, as suddenly as it had started, it collapsed inward. The perceived impact nearly knocked her off-balance. She remained there for a few moments before carefully lowering herself back down.  
She stood there for what felt like an eternity, panting heavily, totally unsure what to do now. She closed her eyes and felt the rain while she searched inside herself with her mind. Satisfied she'd returned to normal—or what had become normal for her—she returned to bed.

For several days afterward, rumors of an angel sighting circulated all over town. Eugene teased Rapunzel about being his own personal angel and even suggested she might be turning into a goddess. She ostensibly protested, but inwardly it made her feel all warm and fuzzy.

*****

Howl and Sophie stood before the King in his study two weeks after Rapunzel's training had begun.

“She's doing very well,” said Howl “That might not be saying much, considering that we haven't tried anything active yet, or that this has never been done before. But she hasn't discharged any more either, so that's a good sign.”

Harold sighed and Howl continued.

“Her energy level looks good, too. When...the incident first occurred, her vitals and neural activity were all over the place. There were wild fluctuations in her energy matrix, more varied than anything I've ever seen. Earlier this week, there were still fluctuations, although they weren't even remotely as dramatic. Now she seems to have settled down. While her overall energy is much higher, the fluctuations are practically gone. It's Sophie's opinion that the spontaneous discharges were a function of her system reorganizing. She believes that process is nearly complete and that she's stabilized.”  
“When you say 'reorganizing,'” said Harold worriedly, “what do you mean by that?”

“It might be more accurate to call it a metamorphosis,” said Howl, “even if a partial one. We believe her physiology has been changing in response to the presence of the sun-blood and that the sun-tears are catalyzing that response.”

“How?” asked Harold with a clear note of concern.

“We...we do not know,” said Sophie.

“All we do know is that she's changing and the sun-blood is responsible,” added Howl.

Harold looked stricken. “Is she...?”

“Oh, do not worry,” said Sophie. “She is...still your daughter and still...human.” Harold visibly relaxed.

“It's a little like how the body changes in response to exercise and strength training,” Howl explained, “or like the changes experienced during puberty, but much more intense and profound. We think her metamorphosis is nearing completion anyway, so you needn't worry about her turning into a monster or anything nearly as...dramatic.”

“What's next?”

“We've recommended a two-day break,” said Howl, “with the added suggestion that she spend some time doing more introspective meditation. On Monday, we'll begin kindling exercises.”

“Kindling exercises.”

“Yes. We'll be teaching her to deliberately create and control fire. We already know she can do it...sort of...so we'll be focusing on the volitional aspect. We'll start small and spend the rest of the month working incrementally toward larger and larger pyroforms.”

Harold sighed. “Make it so.”

*****

Rapunzel, Eugene, Howl and Sophie sat in their circle, once more holding hands as usual. In the center stood a small taper candle.

“Today,” said Howl, “I'm going to ask you to try to...” he stopped as a small flame flickered into being on the candle's wick. “...do that.”

“Sorry,” said Rapunzel sheepishly and the candle went out.

“Clearly you can do that,” said Howl, “and it seems you can also extinguish fire, too. That's a good sign...a very good sign. However, it's at least as important to understand HOW you're doing what you're doing.”

“You're right.” Then she sighed. “Shall we begin again?”

“Let's all close our eyes,” said Howl. “I want you to think back to when we were in Walter's lab. Recall the moment he asked you to set the paper on fire. I want you to try to remember how that felt. You don't have to try to describe it, just think about how it felt. Can you do that?”

Rapunzel furrowed her brow. After a few moments, “Yes, I think so.”

“Now light the candle.”

Once again, the small flame sprang to life.

“It...feels more like instinct,” she said. “Is that good or bad?”

“It's both,” said Howl. “On the one hand, an instinctual capacity to use any ability...walking for example...allows you to use it without having to think about it. Over-thinking can slow down reaction time, lead to judgement errors, or have you second-guessing yourself into a circle. On the other hand, acting entirely on instinct can get you in trouble, especially if you haven't learned when to act on that instinct and when to ignore it.”

“How do I learn all that?”

“Experience. I know that's not particularly helpful right now. Basically, you learn on the job. It's like...being Princess and then later Queen. There's only so much others can teach you...you have to learn the rest as you go and the consequences of your mistakes could be significant. It will require work, focus, discipline, and patience...that part isn't really much fun, but you should not underestimate its importance. Otherwise...just don't push too hard too fast. I'll help you recognize when you're in danger of doing so. Now, practice on the candle.”

Rapunzel spent the next half hour lighting, extinguishing and re-lighting the candle over and over. Then they decided to call it a day.

*****

A cold autumn rain poured down on an equally cold Friday morning. Rapunzel and Eugene were jogging through the streets as they often did. Not only was it great cardio exercise, it also gave them a built-in opportunity to interact with their people. Eugene thought she was nuts, but he always joined her anyway. Still, he had to admit that she was right, that there really was a point to this kind of focused activity and that he was in better shape because of it. Today, however, anyone with any choice in the matter was holed up indoors, which meant the streets were nearly deserted.

“Now, again, why, why, why, in the wide world of all things rational and sane are we out in this?” asked Eugene between breaths.

“This helps me clear my head and I like your company,” said Rapunzel also between breaths.

“I might be the only other person in the entire known world who actually sees the point of this. But in the pouring rain?”

“Oh, I don't mind.”

“But you're not freezing!”

“Are you?”

“No, but I will be the instant we stop.”

“What, you don't think I can keep you warm?” she teased.

“Umm...I'm surprised you can see where you're going in the cloud of steam,” said Eugene, changing the subject.

“I can see just fine,” she retorted.

They rounded a corner near the wharf and heard a shriek followed by a splash.

“What was that?” said Eugene. They stopped and listened.

“I hear more splashing,” said Rapunzel. They followed it over toward the water's edge and saw a small girl struggling, apparently unable to swim.

“Hold these,” said Eugene, stripping off his jacket and boots and thrusting them toward Rapunzel. Then he dove into the water and swam toward the girl. Her thrashing was weakening by the time he reached her. Rapunzel could see that she'd stopped moving as Eugene carried her from the water. He was visibly making a valiant effort to keep from shivering himself. The girl was breathing shallowly and her lips were already turning blue. Rapunzel recognized her as one of the girls who had helped braid her long hair that morning she and Eugene had come to town on her birthday to see the lanterns—it nearly seemed like an eternity ago, yet also yesterday. Rapunzel forced herself back to the present with a visible shake of the head.

“Isn't this one of those girls who braided your hair that morning?” asked Eugene, clearly thinking the same thing.

“Yes, it is.”

Just then, a man burst out of the door of a nearby row house. “Greta?” he called. Then he noticed the trio over by the water and his eyes grew wide. “Greta!” He rushed over to them. “No!” he cried, obviously agitated.

“You're her father, I take it?” asked Rapunzel, somehow knowing what the answer would be. The man nodded. “We have to get her inside.” The man nodded again and led the way back into his home. Once inside, Eugene handed the girl to her father. By now, the great cloud of steam that had been billowing from Rapunzel had tapered off considerably. “Get her out of those wet clothes and under a blanket. Then start a fire in the hearth.”

While the girl's father complied, Eugene led Rapunzel to the other side of the room and spoke in low tones. “What...are you planning to do?” he asked cautiously.

“She's going to die, Eugene. I have to do something.”

“But isn't it dangerous for you to...you know?”

She glanced back over at the girl's father. “He's frightened to death about her the way my father's frightened about me.” Then she put a hand up to Eugene's face. “It'll be alright.” They turned around just in time to see a woman come in from outside. She took one look and shrieked in alarm.

“What happened?!” she exclaimed.

“She fell into the bay and these two gentles rescued her,” said the father with visible effort.

The woman, clearly Greta's mother, looked over at Rapunzel and Eugene. “You're the Princess,” she said in mild surprise.

“Yes,” replied Rapunzel, walking over to where Greta lay, now under a blanket. “Now start that fire, if you please.”

“But...but our wood's all wet.”

“What?” She looked over to the hearth. A few good-sized pieces of wood lay there. A whisp of smoke curled off of one. Her eyes narrowed as though she were glaring at the logs. “We'll see about that.” Just then, they all burst into flame and began to burn energetically. Rapunzel turned back to Greta.

“What...?” began the father.

“It's a long story,” said Eugene.

Rapunzel nodded an unspoken 'thank-you' to him. “Now, I need everyone to be quiet so I can focus.” She closed her eyes and placed her hands over Greta's small, cold body.

“What's she...?” began the mother. Eugene looked up and held his index finger up to his lips in a silent 'Shhh!'

Gradually, the color returned to Greta's lips. After what seemed like an eternity, her eyelids fluttered open. “Princess!” she said, “What are you doing here?”

Rapunzel opened her own eyes and looked down at Greta. “We pulled you out of the water.”

Her parents rushed over and scooped Greta up into their arms, making no effort to hide their relief.

“How can we thank you?” said the father.

Rapunzel thought for a moment. “Don't ask me how I did that and don't tell anyone.”

The parents looked at each other quizzically. “As you wish, your Highness,” they said with a nod.

“What were you doing in there, anyway,” said Eugene to Greta, “if you don't mind my asking?”

“A bad man was chasing me and I slipped,” she said.

Eugene raised an eyebrow and he looked at Rapunzel. “It never ends, does it?”

“I guess not,” she said with a shrug.

Eugene picked up his boots and coat from where Rapunzel had dropped them by the door and put them back on.

“Shall I return tomorrow and see how she's doing?” asked Rapunzel.

“That would be fine,” said the father. Then Rapunzel and Eugene dashed out back into the cold rain to continue their run. Once again, the steam poured off of her.

*****

Saturday was nicer than Friday—which wasn't saying much. It was still chilly and damp, but at least the rain had stopped. Rapunzel made her way back to Greta's house—which took longer than it should, what with all the schmoozing along the way. She didn't really mind it much, although even she had her limits. She arrived just in time to meet Greta coming out the door to dump the garbage.

“Princess!” she squealed.

“Well, well. It looks like you're feeling better.”

“Much, thank-you. Mama and Papa were really worried about me.”

“I bet they were.”

Their discussion was interrupted by a gruff voice from behind Rapunzel.

“Well, well. It looks like a two-fer!” Rapunzel whirled around to see two large, tough-looking men approaching. There was no-one else in sight.

Greta made an eeping sound and ducked behind Rapunzel. “That's the bad man who was chasing me,” she said softly.

“Don't worry,” Rapunzel replied in an equally soft voice. “I won't let them harm you.” Then to the men, “What do you want?”

“We want the little girl...and you, too.”

“Why?” asked Rapunzel bluntly.

“We want to...well, that's for us to know and you to find out,” he said with a sinister chuckle.

“I don't think so,” said Rapunzel sternly.

“Hey, you're the Princess,” said the other man, “That'll make this even sweeter.” They continued to approach.

“Stay back!” Greta was now growing noticeably agitated as she cowered behind Rapunzel. The men were now within two meters. Rapunzel thrust out her right hand, palm upward. A flame the size of a grapefruit suddenly appeared, hovering a few centimeters above it. “I will use this!” she said threateningly.

The two men peered at the flame, then looked at each other, then back at Rapunzel. They began to move forward again and the flame flared up. “Don't!” She said menacingly. They made yet another step, Rapunzel turned her hand palm outward and the flame reformed into a wall the height of a Roman tower shield and twice as broad. “This is your third and final warning!” They didn't listen and Rapunzel pushed the fire forward. The men yelped in pain, staggered backward, turned and ran. The fire disappeared and Rapunzel let out a heavy exhale. “Why are people like that always such _idiots_?” Then she turned to Greta.

“Are you alright?” The girl nodded. “I'll be sure to report this to Eugene. They shouldn't be too hard to find, what without eyebrows.” Greta giggled a little. “I just wanted to see how you're doing. Now we should get you back inside.” She escorted Greta back to her house, spent a few minutes exchanging words with her mother about safety, and then returned to the palace.

*****

“You did _WHAT?!_ ” exclaimed Howl after Rapunzel and Eugene had related the events of the previous week. “Are you insane? Have you learned nothing?”

“If I'd done nothing, she would have died! If I'd done nothing the second time, she would have...well, it would have been _worse_ than death!”

“What about all that martial arts training?”

“Rafni hasn't had a chance to teach me Judo yet. And...it was my first instinct.”

“See?” said Howl. “That's precisely what I mean. You acted on your instinct instead of suppressing it. It's like violence...know how to use it, but _only_ as a last resort.”

“But you said it's not bad to act on instinct. I know you don't want me to hurt anyone and I don't want to hurt anyone either. It's like you're afraid I'll destroy the world or something and you're from the future, so you know that doesn't happen. So what is it? And stop asking me to tell you what I've been feeling or how I've been doing what I've been doing because you may as well ask me how I walk or how I breathe!” She crossed her arms across her chest and came just short of pouting...which Eugene usually thought was kind of cute.

“Rapunzel, with great power comes great responsibility,” said Howl.

Rapunzel frowned pensively. “Just...how much power do you think I have, anyway?”

Howl looked over at Sophie, who nodded. He sighed. “I...wasn't going to tell you this because I thought it might alarm you. When...the incident...happened and you were lying unconscious on our sofa, Calcifer told me that what he saw scared him. His kind don't scare easily, so when something bothers...bothered...him, I have to take notice. He said that bearing the sun-tears and the sun-blood at the same time hasn't happened in...well, essentially forever. He also said he believed you to be the most dangerous corporeal being in the known universe.”

Rapunzel started to laugh. “You think I'm the most dangerous person in the universe?” The laughter rose and soon she was rolling on the floor. When she'd recovered, she wiped the tears from her eyes. “Howl, that's the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard!” she said, still heaving from the aftermath. “If you think I'd even once consider using my powers to lay waste to entire armies and take over the world, then I think that time travel thing has been messing with your head.” She giggled a little.

“You might not,” said Howl, “but someone else might. Rapunzel, if the wrong people find out about your power, they could blackmail you, threaten your family or your people and compel you to use your powers for nefarious purposes. Madrona Gothel may have been wrong about this world, but there are other worlds and I assure you some of THOSE are indeed full of evil...people.”

Rapunzel furrowed her brow in annoyance. “I spent eighteen years hiding from people who would use my powers. Now that I have different ones, I have to do it again? If it's going to be like that, then I want nothing more to do with any of this!” She got up, spun around and stalked out of the room.

“Oh, dear,” said Sophie.

“What was that about pushing too hard too fast?” said Eugene.

*****

Eugene found Rapunzel at the archery range. She was loosing arrows as fast as she could nock them. He walked up and stood just inside her peripheral vision to her right and said nothing.

“Hello, Eugene,” she said evenly.

“Um...are you alright?”

“I'm _done_ with this! And _no_ one...is going to _use_ me...for my _powers_... _ever_... _again_!” She punctuated each phrase with the release of an arrow. Eugene looked at her, looked down the range and then back at her.

“Nice grouping,” he said evenly.

She exhaled and visibly relaxed. “Oh, I'm sorry, Eugene. I went to Ingary because I was feeling overwhelmed by my newfound responsibilities here. Then something happens and I have these brand new ones thrust upon me... _not_ by my own choosing, mind you...and now I'm feeling even more overwhelmed than I was before! It's just not fair!”

“I know. Listen, I won't tell you what to do with this. But know that whatever you choose, you have my complete support.”

She smiled. “Thank-you, Eugene. That means a lot to me. Shall we go for dinner now? I'm _really_ hungry!”

He held out his arm, she took it, after un-stringing her bow, and they strolled off toward dinner.

*****

Eugene stepped out onto the veranda. He looked around, then spied Rapunzel off to the left, out in the open and facing full into the sun. She was dressed only in a light chemise, her dress draped over a nearby chair. He opened his mouth to speak, but immediately closed it without saying a word. Instead, he stood there and watched her. She wasn't doing much, just standing there, leaning slightly forward as though bracing against a wind that was absent on this calm day, her arms held slightly away from her body, head tilted back, eyes closed. There was a warm smile on her face and she was clearly enjoying her sunbath far more than Eugene would have expected from anyone.

“Hello, Eugene,” she said, eyes still closed, sill unmoving. Her voice had a relaxed, detached quality, almost, but not quite, ethereal, as though her mind were split between the here and now and...somewhere else.

“How did you know it was me?”

“I felt your presence.”

“Did you, now?” he said incredulously.

“You have a distinctive heat signature.”

He sighed and shook his head slowly. “Other ladies say their men have a distinctive gait, a distinctive stance, a distinctive smell. Mine says I have a distinctive heat signature...whatever that means.” He wasn't mocking her necessarily, although his tone clearly suggested he thought she may be slightly less in-control of her faculties than most.

“Oh, Eugene, you're such a tease,” she said evenly, her voice still relaxed. Then she took a deep breath and began to sing. The tune sounded oddly familiar.

All my life, trapped behind my window  
All my years, shielded from the light  
All my days, never even knowing  
What it could be like  
Now I'm here, bathing in the sunlight  
Now I'm here, basking in its rays  
Now I'm here, it's crystal clear  
It's how I'll spend my days

And at last I feel the light  
And it's like the day is dawning  
And at last I feel the light  
And it's like the sky has cleared  
And it's warm and clear and bright  
And my world has somehow shifted  
All at once, everything is different  
I'll share it all with you

“That was beautiful!” said Eugene when she'd finished.

“Thank-you,” she said with just a hint of shyness. Then she opened her eyes and looked at him, still smiling. “You're always honest with me, even if a bit unorthodox. I love that about you.” She walked over to him and took his hands in her own. “Before Howl and Sophie returned home, he taught me a little more about physics...the Law of Conservation of Mattergy, to be precise.” Eugene frowned at her in confusion. “It states that matter and energy can neither be created nor destroyed, only changed in form. Don't worry, it hasn't been discovered yet.”

“And that has what to do with what?” he asked, still not following.

“You recall that...argument we had after the...er...incidents in town?” Eugen nodded. “It seems there are some practical reasons to be careful, too. The energy in the sun-blood is finite and any time I do anything, some of that energy is used up.”

Eugene cocked his head. “I thought you'd put that behind you.”

“I thought I had, too. I think I may have found a way to refill it,” she said looking over her shoulder at the sun and then back to Eugene. “Howl was also right about another thing. I can lay low all my life and hope no one knows what I have. But if anyone finds out, particularly someone from...out there...and I'm not prepared to defend myself or my family, that would be catastrophic. That's just not acceptable. Avoiding this really isn't an option. And now that I've accepted what I've become...” she suddenly stopped and glanced away, looking at nothing in particular. Her brow furrowed pensively and Eugene could almost watch her thinking.

“What is it?”

Her face lit up as she looked back into his eyes. “I've accepted what I've become!” It was eerily reminiscent of that time she'd revealed to him about her now-formerly luminescent hair when they'd been trapped in that mine shaft. “Oh, Eugene!” She wrapped her arms around him and kissed him. “I'll see you later!” She whirled around, took a few steps, then stopped abruptly. She spun around, darted past him to grab her dress. “Oops,” she said sheepishly, throwing it on over her head. “ _Now_ I'll see you later.” Then she dashed into the palace.

*****

Harold was in his study going over some minerals production notes. A knock sounded at the door.

“Come!”

The door opened and Rapunzel stepped inside. Harold put down his work, stood up and stepped around his desk to meet his daughter in a firm embrace. “I needed a break anyway. What can I do for you?”

“Daddy, I want my own armory.”

“Don't you already have access to all the Kingdom's weaponry?”

She sighed a little. “No, I mean I want my own arms.”

“You already have two,” he said, indicating the appendages that began with her shoulders. “You'd be awfully funny-looking with extras.”

She giggled. “Oh, Daddy, you're funny. I meant the heraldic kind, of course,” she said lightly.

“I knew that. I was just teasing.” His tone then changed a little. “Seriously, though, your arms are mine and your mother's quartered.”

She sighed. “Yes, I know, that's why you taught me basic heraldry. And I don't mean to be ungrateful, really I don't. It's just that...I've accepted what I've become.”

He looked at her quizzically. “And...just what... _have_ you become?” he asked cautiously.

“I'm not sure,” she admitted. “Well, at least I don't have words to describe it. In a sense, I'm a new person and I want my arms to reflect that.”

He sighed. “Well, if you're sure, I'll have our Principal Herald meet with you in the morning.”

She nodded. “Thank-you, Daddy. I love you.”

“I love you too.” They hugged again.

“And Daddy?”

“Yes?”

“I think I may finally be ready to say 'yes' the next time Eugene asks.”

He smiled at her, although she sensed a sudden sadness in his eyes. “I'll see you at dinner.”


End file.
